The gang at Bellona's need help
by marshmallowMountain
Summary: One shot's based of my Bellona's bar and eatery fic. So far I've got NicoxTyson, ThaliaxDrew, PiperxRachel and ThaliaxLukexAnnabeth.Enjoy and happy holidays!
1. Chapter 1 - Tyson x Nico

**Happy holidays! Just a short one shot for the holidays , a spin off of my Piper Fic. it's a flashback to when Nico and Tyson were ten. just a load of fluff and cut NicoxTyson.**

Nico's eyes flickered across the dark room, shivering with trepidation. He could just make out the Christmas tree, the lights flicked off but the baubles and other decorations reflecting the light of the moon and stars casting a strange red and green light across the floor.

He could feel Tyson shivering behind him, and all of a sudden he wanted to go back, wanted to run back to Tyson's room and hide under his blankets cuddling with his best friend. He didn't want to find out if the noise was Santa leaving presents or just the apartment creaking, he had heard Sally as Paul joking about their apartment often enough to know that sometimes it just creaked and groaned inexplicably .

But he couldn't back down. Not when Tyson was here. He wasn't going to loose the only person he had left. His best friend, not over something so stupid, not when the other boy had helped him through so much as the rest of his family drifted apart.

Gathering his courage he took a step forward freezing when his foot hit the cool floorboard causing a creak to echo across the room, Tyson's hand was on his upper arm, squeezing softly, whether to warn Nico or comfort him he wasn't sure.

He took another step and another and then he was sprinting across the wood floor not stopping until he was panting and safe on the warm Persian carpet. On a deep red diamond, one of five that created an exotic eastern effect, you were safe on the diamonds, it was a game he had played often enough to know.

Tyson wasn't holding his arm anymore but when he glanced back the other boy was standing right behind him, feet pressed together and arms wrapped around his body tightly, pressing peanut bitter his stuffed seahorse close to his chest, so as to fit perfectly in the second to last diamond.

Tyson was grinning his one brown eye and one blue sparkling with the childish mirth that Nico adored, that he had himself lost with the death of his mother, the loss off his father and sister - though they lived it felt like they didn't, the relationship was long gone at any rate.

Turning back to the tree he grinned himself lost in the moment. Under the tree, cut down by all of them two week prior - It was a Blofis family tradition, was piles of brightly wrapped present's all labeled with the swirly lettering that he recognised but didn't, it was the writing that came with every Christmas and disappeared with the labelling until the next year.

Jogging across to the tree he knelt down beside Tyson as they dug through the presents, sure enough he wasn't left out before he unwrapped his first present he watched Tyson pause in his endeavours to check the plate of cookies, he tiny stocking Nico had spent so long icing that day had a miniature bite taken from it and Percy's snowman was missing an arm, even Tyson's giant brick thing had a little nibble mark.

Clearly Santa was very thorough.

Blinking slightly he reached for the glass of milk taking a sip, it was still warm. Rather than opening any presents the boys took turns sipping the cooling milk and tasting the different cookies.

The sun was beginning to rise in the sky when they finally opened their first presents, matching knitted jumpers, Indigo with an Emerald N for him and Royal Blue with an Emerald T for Tyson, both clearly made by Sally, with marching scarves with dropped stitches and scabby ends in the same Emerald Green clearly made by Percy, they had spent all of December watching Sally teach Percy to knit and he wasn't any good, probably the ADHD he always abandoned his work before he could finish and would pick it back up knitting backwards and forward and all sorts of strange patterns that didn't quite work out. Clearly knitting wasn't his thing.

pulling on the marching jumpers they shared a grin, 'merry Christmas' he traced against the bare skin of Tyson's forearm as he struggled with the sleeves of the wool. 'Merry Christmas' the other boy whispered back, pulling Nico onto his lap as the smaller boy drifted off to sleep

When Percy came down the next morning a weary Leo and excited Ella in tow they found the two boys curled up half under the tree sleeping on each other, dressed in marching jumpers and scarves, peanut butter squished between them.


	2. Chapter 2 - Drew x Thalia

If there was one thing Thalia hated about High it was that it sated open over the winter holidays. Which of course gave her father the option to abandon her and Heracles at the so called 'prestigious' school under the premise that his children were working hard for finals, in six months. The school was trash. Prep. Every evening from five when classes finished to six thirty when dinner began, day students couldn't leave until after dinner, she felt sorry for the borders who had extra hours of evening study before they could retire to the dorms.

Sighing with relief as the bell sounded for the end of Prep., stuffing her books into her bag she shot the rest of her table one last parting glance before she dodged out of the classroom. It wasn't that she didn't like them but she had only exchanged a couple of words with her assigned table all year, they were all Juniors, like herself, but in just a few words she had already picked up that all of them had their futures planned out to a tee.

Zoe Nightshade was on student council, captain of the archery team and an up and comer on the soccer team, she knew this because her older sister Artemis was captain of the woman's soccer team at the college and with her eye on becoming coach she already had a prospectus of candidates suitable for her team, Nightshade was top of that last. She was talented, though Apollo and Heracles liked to tease Artemis that all the girls she had listed were only there for their good looks.

Hazel Levesque was an artist through and through, though Thalia happened to know she was on the equestrian team with Percy, though she hadn't met the kid Uncle' Poseidon liked to boast about his bastard son a lot. Poseidon wasn't really her uncle but he was one of her fathers three partners at Olympus Co. And she had been told to call him uncle for far too long, she had given up that fight years ago, besides he was pretty col and always gave awesome presents at Christmas even if he acted like he was still twenty (dude grey hairs). She was pretty loose though she was already getting her basic portfolio ready for college

_'I wont start on the real thing until Senior year but I want to at east have a basis...'_

Lastly, Annabeth Chase who was a nerd and a dork but she was friends with Luke Castellen and therefore Thalia had dragged her out of more fights than she herself had gotten into. Protecting the kid from bullies was borderline impossible. She was titchy but a firecracker, throwing herself at the bullies because of sheer stubbornness, Luke was going to show her a thing or two during the summer holidays, but that meant Thalia still had two terms of digging the girl out of fights, threatening bullies and punching up a few odd newcomers who hadn't got the memo, nobody messed with Castellated property. For all she ended up protecting the kid, she usually ditched her before they could talk, she wasn't having that conversation with her, not yet. Annabeth was smart she'd figure out Luke was no good, hadn't taken Thalia too long.

Jogging down the hall dodging students dragging suitcases and tearful farewells she finally found her brother. He was lounging beside his locker in his letterman jacket surrounded by fellow hockey players, Phoebe La Rue, Hockey soccer and wrestling was leaning against him pissing herself laughing, Triton Jackson, their sweeper, was scowling god naturedly and Beckendroff their goalie was half cuddling with his girlfriend Silena half grinning at something Herc had said.

Swaggering up she grinned at her brother and nodded to the others "We going into town or what?" she asked as she slid between Beckendroff and Triton to lean against the lockers. "Sorry short-stuff, pizza party for the Hockey team, no civilians" she scowled, Beckendroff was really nice but he had nicknames for everyone including her and they sucked, that and since joining the hockey team he had picked up their habit of calling the non players 'civilians' and the coach 'El Presidento'. There was just too much wrong with that fro her to forgive.

"We do however have a favour to ask," Herc offered "Silena's little sister just moved to St. Z's from an all girls prep. She wont start classes 'till January but you could show her around, she hasn't registered, and she's your age, seventeen and she'll be registering as a Junior" she scowled at her brother "yay babysitting duty, thanks a lot H, no thanks I'll find someone else to hang with" Just as she was turning to leave her brother caught her arm, "if you do it you can" he sighed like he was regretting what he was about to say "take my car for the night"

She spun and shot him a grin "sold, now where's the chick"

* * *

Half an hour mater she was speeding out on the terrible roads that connected St.Z's to New York City in her brother's cherry red muscle car, a sexy half Japanese goddess in her passenger side and a hundred bucks courtesy of blackmailing her brother with his crush on Jason's little friend.

_'Dude Thanatos DiAngelo is twelve years old...I don't think that's legal'_

To be honest she didn't care what her brother did or who he did it with as long as she didn't have to hear the details but the hundred bucks didn't hurt, the pretty girl didn't either.

_' "Drew" the girl offered holding out a hand "Thalia" she replied taking it, "so your my baby sitter for the evening hmm... Well I suppose Silena didn't choose too badly, you're not all that bad to look at..."'_

She hadn't had the energy to argue and now, as she kept sparing glances at the girls incredibly short shorts, it was the middle of winter for chrissake, only three days before Christmas, and long tanned legs she was glad she hadn't started the fight, the girl look like she didn't take insults well, and as if she could hold a grudge. She barely had a hope of getting a kiss with the frosty silence in the car she didn't want to know what it would be like after a fight.

* * *

"It's Christmas" she offered nervously as her girlfriend paced "I didn't mean to Drew if I had known you were allergic to Mistletoe I never would have hung any up it's a tradition and all..." she babbled worriedly, six years on since she had first met the girl and she still wasn't sure where she stood.

"You're fine" she blinked "huh?" Drew stopped pacing and turned to look at her " .you. Are. Fine" she punctuated each word with a step closer to Thalia. In one fluid movement the she had Thalia pinned against the wall, so they were both standing right under that dreaded mistletoe, one hand at her waist the other in her hair, Thalia moaned against her. "Besides" he whispered "I believe there's a tradition that should more than make up for the rash. Kissing hmm?"


	3. Chapter 3 - Annabeth x Luke x Thalia

She had never liked Christmas. It had always served as a reminder that she wasn't as good as her half siblings Bobby and Mathew, or that her 'parents' didn't understand here enough to actually get her presents de liked. For her Christmas was a time to smile and grit the pain, pretend you were enjoying yourself and thank people for their useless presents.

She didn't really expect this Christmas to be all that different. Except that is was going to be and she knew it but she wasn't getting her hopes up, her 'friends' weren't really the holiday type.

Annabeth clung desperately to Luke's back as they and Thalia rant grouch the streets. She screwed her eyes shut,fingers digging I to the rough cotton of her surrogate brothers shirt.

She tried to tune out the noise of the two teens shoes hitting the pavement and of the sirens and police dog's howls as she concentrated on holding on. It was only Christmas Eve and they had been scrounging near the mall when Thalia had decided she needed to grab something.

They never usually split up but Thalia and Luke seemed to think that it was necessary and although she normally had a say in their plans today she was dismissed when she voiced her objections. Of course half an hour later Thalia had come speeding out of the mall clutching something under her jacket two mall cops chasing after her.

Things would have calmed down but working on instinct alone Annabeth had stuck her foot out and tripped one of the guards. Luke was then recognised for their part in the animal rights protest that had turned nasty and the real police were radioed as the three ran away.

They reached the football pitch where a bunch of older teens were running laps. Sprinting across the pitch Luke lost his footing on the waterlogged mud and skidded forward. The three of them ended in a muddy heap in the centre of the grass surrounded by girls around Thalia and Annabeth's age.

She could hear vaguely a woman with hair like flames talking down to an officer waving her hands dismissively at the others before she handed the main man what looked to be a cheque.

When the cops dispersed the woman who introduced herself as Artemis, who was actually only a couple of years older than Luke, led them to the clubhouse where she made them explain the story. She seemed mostly interested in Thalia, and eventually nodded.

They spent the rest of the day sipping hot cocoa and chatting with 'the hunters' the local college soccer team. They were nice enough, if a bit suspicious of Luke, though that might have been the scar it tended to put people off, and the clubhouse was warm and dry, decorated with bright Christmas baubles and tinsel.

As they thanked her and the soccer players for helping them she noticed out of the corner of her eye Thalia hugging Artemis before the older woman slid something into Thalia's hand. They left the clubhouse and slipped out into the night trapping footprints in the fallen snow and laughing together walking abreast hands linked as they told jokes hyped up on their freedom.

It wasn't until that evening, the three of them huddling together under their blankets trying to keep warm in their tiny tent that was doing nothing to keep the winter chill out, that Thalia explained things.

"Artemis, she's my older sister, half sister, she gets me more than the rest of my family or at least I think she does"

Blushing sheepishly she pulled a small package from under her jacket, and broke open the paper handing Annabeth a journal and a pen and Luke a green wooly hat.

"I wanted to get you two something seeing as this is the first Christmas we've had since we made this official"

As midnight struck, they stayed awake by listening to the church bells chime on the hour, and Annabeth scribbled away in her journal glancing up occasionally at Luke, the green woolly hat falling low over their face, or Thalia, with her bright smile as she listened to her MP3 , had to admit, if Christmas was always going to be like this, she couldn't wait until next year.

**Hey guys! Another Christmas peice for all of you. This time a ThaliaxLukexAnnabeth Christmas on the road. It maybe isn't obvious because of my writing but Luke is non-binary in this story, I think if he does come into any more of my writing in BELLONA's world [he'll] stay non-Binary, it's his reason for running away, protesting for equality... Anyway happy holidays and I hoped you enjoy it Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4-Silena x ClarrisseBeckendroff

So far New Year's Eve in Paris was going off without a hitch. Seemingly she floated around her apartment drifting from own room to the next smiling and nodding dancing and donning out les bisous to those who paused her long enough for more than a word.

The french practise of kissing both cheeks was one she was more than well practised in, years of holidays to Paris with her mother to shop, or far down South during the summers for family vacations. She could remember one particular year when Piper was only six years old, when they had rented a old chateau, with picturesque stone walls and climbing ivy.

It was a nice memory filled with walks on sandy beaches and swimming in cool pools. It was that particular holiday herself and Drew were feeling particularly mischievous and had convinced Piper she could walk on water, gently steering her out onto the thin pool cover before dropping her hand and pushing lightly, suffice to say Piper couldn't walk on water but it had resulted in a late night hospital trip where she had ended up sitting in the A&amp;E being taught french culture by a hospital security guard and his son, being taught the meaning of the french bisous.

Uncorking another bottle of champagne she poured herself a liberal amount sighing as she sipped the bubbly liquid, fifty euro well spent she decided even as she winced at the price, her bank account had been frozen because of some weird mess up with the American to European withdrawals, she hadn't overdrawn, that was borderline impossible, but they were worried someone had hijacked her account, her own fault she should have registered as out of the county, so she was surviving on a small savings account she had created on her sixteenth birthday, it had a tiny amount of money but her parents had already promised to wire her more so she wasn't going to worry, too much, she hated the loss of control.

Trying not let her eyes fall to Clarisse, the older woman was intriguing, not beautiful in a conventional sense but she was attractive, tall with short hair that hung loose to the bottom of her ears, hazel eyes and her muscled figure.

She instead pressed a smile to her face before turning to look for Charles. Finding him in the next room she leant in against his broad figure relishing the warmth, letting her free hand slip into his cropped dark hair, breathing in the smell of the Armani cologne she had bought him for Christmas , and just below that the smell of his fathers machine shop, always about even after two weeks out of the country.

Leaning up to kiss him, slightly tipsy from her fifth, or was it sixth, glass of champagne, she forced the images of Clarisse holding her in the shower out of her mind. It wouldn't happen again, she would make sure of it, she loved her boyfriend, last night was the last time.

But she loved Clarrisse too.

That thought danced around her head stirring thoughts of her two lovers side by side. The three of them together. But no Charlie was too conservative and Clarrisse too possessive, better to forget the whole thing. Charlie was good for her, good to her. That thought was a good one. Christmas morning cuddling under their blankets.

Shaking her head she leant in "bon fin de l'année " she whispered as she closed her eyes swaying slightly with the music.

And when the clock struck twelve she didn't care to find Clarrisee for a kiss, instead she leant up and smiled at her boyfriend, "je t'aime" it wasn't really a lie. And she pretended it wasn't Clarrises face and rough lips she was picturing as she kissed him.


	5. Chapter 5 - Rachel x Piper

If it bothered Piper that he best friends girlfriend was two years younger than them and not yet legally an adult but totally living on her own in a giant studio apartment she didn't let it show.

As she schmoozed and flirted winking and dancing trading smiles and dances as she silently counted down the hours before she could go home she didn't let it get to her. When Percy had first told her about Rachel E. Dare she had though lawyer or doctor or at least a student for something fancy, who used their middle initial? An older woman anyway, she hadn't expected a fifteen year old too young even to own a fake ID, too young looking to get away with it.

She had reluctantly agreed to the New Years Eve party as a way to calm down her friends. Since her latest failure at a relationship, just another in a long string of them, her friends had gone back into overprotective cuddly too bright forced happiness. She suddenly had a dozen invites every day to things she were sure were only planned to get her out of the house, and didn't happen when she cancelled or flat or refused.

It wasn't as if she wasn't going out at all. Though they insisted the corner store for ice cream didn't count, it was only a couple of months into living alone, a couple of months since get seventeenth and she wasn't exactly sure what to do with her freedom, that and being dumped for being too 'infantile', she had asked Malcolm Grey her old English tutor, it meant childish, he had smiled like he agreed on some level before patting her back and making his excuses.

On the other hand if she was Malcolm and dating Jake Mason she would have spent most of her time with him as well so she wasn't upset, really, or lonely, no matter what Percy said.

The party had started close to nine and she had begun counting almost as soon as she arrived. Sneaking a glance at her phone she breathed a sigh of relief. 11:57 .

Nearly there. A new year a new life, a fresh start.

Turning she bumped into someone's chest. Did it bug her that a fifteen year old had at least five inches on her, even when she was in heels, so the red head was in heels too but surely not as high as Piper's.

Rachel caught her , her left arm sliding around Pipers waist her right held out for balance a glass of pink champagne waving precariously.

The taller girl smiled down at her, she didn't mean to stare, but her eyes, her hair, her smile. She could see where Percy was coming from, see it so very badly. And she felt like a sucky friend. A sucky person. A child. It wasn't just her height. She was selfish. This was her best friends girl.

"10"

Someone called out from across the room.

She breathed in, the smell of peppermint candy filled her lungs.

"9" she whispered taking a step closer when she should have stepped back.

"8" Rachel's other hand was on her waist, champagne forgotten.

"7" she looked up into those bright catlike emerald eyes, living the soft smile playing across the younger girls face.

"6" She couldn't hear or see anyone else, the rest of the room was a blur. How had she gotten here.

"5" Rachel whispered her friendly smile changing, just enough for Piper to know

"2" where had all the time gone? Weren't they just at five?

"1" Rachel slipped her hand upwards, letting it rest on the small of Pipers back.

"Happy new year" she whispered. She wasn't sure who said it, it who started the kiss, but then they were kissing and it was... Special and nice and she felt so good , so damned good about herself until they broke apart cheeks pink, and she could just see Percy, a look of betrayal across his face as he grabbed his jacket and disappeared from the room.

Years later she still wouldn't know why Percy had forgiven her. Why he had let it slide after Chinese and an apology , but she supposed, when she was trying to rationalise something that hadn't involved thought, that their relationship had been a friendly one, of parties and dancing and dates, it was only a bit of kissing and holding hands, the kid was fifteen, only out of middle school, and Percy was probably her first real boyfriend.

Of course as a person she could rationalise,with a little help from Malcolm.

As a friend she felt shitty and never made a move on Rachel, though the implications were their for something...

As a firm believer in honesty and bros before hoes and however you wanted to phrase it she felt disappointed in herself.

What the kiss meant. What had led to it. That party. It was wiped away, like so many other mistakes , and forgotten. Pushed to the furthest corners of her mind and even as her friendship developed with Rachel, and they shared secrets and gossip and heartbreaks, neither made another move.


	6. Chapter 6 - Drew x Thalia

Blinking awake Drew smiled. It was the first weekend she had free in a long time, a free weekend that Thalia also shared. They had made plans, shopping, lunch at the little Chinese place off fifth that Thalia was addicted to, a movie maybe, go shop some more then dinner at the Italian place that she loved and home for what was going to be an awesome night in bed with movies and sex.

Stretching Drew rolled over to get a better view of her girlfriend. Even in the poor lighting she was gorgeous.

Her pale skin was luminescent, glowing in the early morning shadows, one long arm stretched above her head fingers twisting around the headboard, the only hint of what they had gotten up to the night before. Her hair melted into the shadows, the uneven black locks sticking up in every direction like a crown of thorns.

Her long lashes were almost indiscernible in the darkness but she could just make them out stretching long black shadows down Thalia's face like streaking tears. Her face was clear of makeup, no hint of the glitter or thick black lines that had turned the girl into a dark faerie knight.

Sparing a glance down at her own rumpled dress and chipped nail polish she let out a breath. She never understood where Thalia found the time to clean away her makeup. It didn't matter what time they came home at she would wake up to Thalia looking as if the night before had never happened and herself smeared with glitter and perfumes and inky writing on her arms. A new habit she had picked up, writing quotes that she liked, or messages to Thalia, all across her body.

She had been feeling pretty creative last night because there was a smudged sentence in curling letters just under her ribs, another encircling her wrist, a third she could barely make out across her collarbone and a inky heart on her ankle.

She wasn't into tattoo's, she knew they ruined your body and looked terrible when you aged, but she loved the way her ink looked covering her body. It made her unique. Special.

It was funny how Thalia made her want to feel different, how with Thalia different was special and not just strange. She wasn't just the half Asian reject who wore to much makeup and kissed girls and guys. Or the bitchy middle child.

She was just Drew. And she how special that made her feel. How unique. She had hated being just Drew. Had always wanted to be more. And yet she loved how special that made her feel. How unique. She loved the way Thalia made her feel.

Slipping out of the rumpled dress she tugged the covers back over her curling up against Thalia, loving that the other girl shifted to make room, taking care of her even as she slept.

She closed her eyes breathing in Thalia's scent, it was early anyway, they had time to spare, shopping could wait.


	7. Chapter 7 - Sally x Pail

Kissing the crown of Leo's sleeping head she smiled fondly across the room at Paul as he tucked in Percy, calmly checking under her six year olds bed and the closet, she turned to switch the baby monitor on for Tyson.

She knew at two he was getting a little old for a monitor , an percy really didn't need to have his closet checked for the boogie man but she didn't mid indulging them and Paul just liked to play. She was glad Leo was sleeping because he always scoffed and called his foster brother a baby.

She let her gaze fall back to Leo. With his pull up visible above the waist band of his fire tuck PJ's he looked adorable, nothing like the little firecracker he usually was. Paul was the one who had suggested fostering him and the papers for the adoption had been finalised only a few weeks ago.

She wasn't sure what she would do without Paul. She had fallen in love with Poseidon when she was still in high school, he had been married to a women he didn't love, chosen by his father as a profitable match, but had sworn his love to Sally, promising her the sun and stars.

Of course she got pregnant he smiled and they continued as they were, Percy was born, her little miracle , looking exactly like his father.

Of course Amphitrite had found out and demanded they stop seeing each other, that Poseidon concentrate on their son Triton.

Sally had been lost, with a small boy and no degree she was stuck with odd jobs that paid terribly and begging free babysitting off friends.

And then Paul had walked into her life. Or crashed.

She had been working the street, handing out free candy when Paul had crashed into her chasing after his young niece who had seen her candy from a block away and had charged down the street.

Now six years on and she had two more boy's, a wedding ring and a college degree.

Finishing up with the boys she leant against Paul slipping her hand into his as they trailed down the hall in the dim light.

"A glass of wine and a massage?" He asked guiding her to the sofa.

In the end they didn't even pour the wine, and though Paul was eager to please the massage never happened. Raising three boys was tiring, writing books and teaching English more so.

She didn't remember anything more than sliding on to the sofa with Paul and letting her eyes rest.

She woke up to Tyson climbing on to her face and the sound of Percy and Leo arguing over who was the better super hero; Namor the prince of Atlantis or Ironman.

Blinking she jolted Paul who jerked up in surprise, Tyson went tumbling off the sofa and landed with a soft this into a fallen pillow, it didn't do much closer to calm his sobs.

Paul scooped the small boy into his arms and kissed her, I'll deal with him if you go separate the others.

Kissing him lightly she went to get the boys dressed.

So maybe dating an English teacher wasn't as glamorous as a Billionaire, and raising kids in an apartment wasn't nearly comfortable as a mansion with a team of Nannies.

But she loved her boys, and she wouldn't trade the four of them for all the world.


	8. Chapter 8 - Tyson x Nico

Tyson crawled across the floor, wary of brig seen. He had already pulled off his shoes, they would make too much nose, and they were uncomfortable.

He could make out his big brothers trying to fit in - Percy was hiding from his daddy and Leo was pulling at the pretty now mommy had bade him wear around his neck, Bianca Di Angelo- who he really liked, was with Thalia and Jason Grace - he was funny and she was scary but nice and lightening eyes, pretty lightening eyes.

They looked fancy like adult people, which maybe they were because they were tall but he knew thalia was only 14 and bianca was 12, he didn't know how big Jason was but he was shorter than Thalia do probably littler.

He wished the party was someplace else. If they had had the party at Percy's job place then he wouldn't have had to wear the weird shoes that didn't have laced or the jacket and tie that made him look like a business people.

Also maybe Nico would be happy. He didn't like it when his Nico was sad.

The room was big. And there were fancy tables with pretty pictures on them, covered in white cloth and silver knives and forks.

And the party decorations weren't good. There were silver and navy balloons in the corners of the ceiling, which was a stupid idea because then nobody could play with them. A sign that said 'Happy 5th birthday Nicolas' was hung on the wall but it wasn't funny like the one Percy and Leo had made for his birthday.

There was lots of adults he didn't know, in fancy outfits, chatting and laughing with eachother, and the children were supposed to be quiet, he wasn't even allowed his D.S.

Also he couldn't find his Nico. Which wasn't good. So he decided maybe he was playing puppies. That was a good game and sometimes Percy would play it with them.

So he was crawling around, his tie was being his leash, and sniffling under the table. So far he hadn't found anything, but he only had a couple of tables left to go.

He could see Nico's daddy talking to Percy's daddy and a man who he thought was maybe Jason and Thalia's daddy. He wasn't sure though. They were all dressed up fancy.

.Sir was dressed in a black suit with thin silver stripes from top to bottom. Only he wasn't wearing a jacket only a waist-a-m-call-it, like fancy people wore under jackets.

Percy's daddy was wearing dark blue trousers with a white shirt, but his top buttons weren't done up and his red red red jacket was hanging over one of his arms.

The other man was boring in a normal suit that people wore to work won't a red tie and a big grey beard. But he looked too scary mean to be Santa.

He could hear sniffling and since maybe Nico was sad, he might be sniffling so he thought he might look over by that table.

Now he could see Thalia's other brothers and her sister. Heracles was wearing a purple skirt, but he had seen him earlier and mommy had said it was a special skirt for boys called a kilt. And it did look sorta weird. He kinda wanted to wear a skirt too, maybe.

The yellow boy who's name he didn't know but who had lightening eyes and was still Thalia's brother, was wearing white and gold, and he was so shiny and happy with big smiles.

His sister, who was smaller than him and had hair like fire and eyes like the moon, they were silvery blue and really nice, except for sometimes to big boys but she said he was funny so Tyson liked her, and she was nice to his Nico.

She was Artemis, and sometimes Diana, because she was 'belling against her daddy or something. The last time he saw her, her hair had been dark black and she was Diana, only now it was back to pretty red and she was probably Arty again.

He was closer to the table now, and he could definitely see a small person underneath only he couldn't tell who. Artemis was talking to someone now. She had walked away from her brothers and her hands were on the hips of a smaller girl, she had long black hair and she was blushing.

He thought maybe she was sharing a secret because her face was very close to the other girl, and her eyes were laughing. Also that maybe they were behind the curtain slightly, where nobody could see them , so really maybe they didn't want to be seen.

Ducking away so they could play secrets and he wouldn't be looking, he crawled under the table. He was right. Nico was there. And he looked sad.

He sat beside him cuddling his body around his Nico, barking playfully. When he didn't respond he nuzzled against him and cuddled. Nico didn't seem to want to play, but that was okay , because Tyson knew he got sad on his birthday, because his daddy wasn't good at hugs or parties. So he kept cuddling him, lots and lots.

Eventually, because Nico was still sad and Tyson was running out of cuddles, he tried to do what Artemis had done to the other girl, to make her daddy and mommy did when they cuddled. It was like kissies only not on his head, it was giving secrets.

Pressing his lips together and cuddling closer to Nico he pressed his lips to the other boys.

He wasn't sure what was so funny, but when Bianca came to find them, because it was dinner time and everybody wS sitting down, but they were still busy - he had to keep Nico happy, she couldn't stop laughing, even when her dad dos that drieny thing he did when someone dos something wrong. She smiled and smiled and laughed with Artemis and Thalia.


End file.
